Gas-line probe adapter for connecting vacuum jacketing

Abstract

A vacuum jacketed gas line adaptor with a flange cover for an existing pipeline sample take-off probe encasing a sample line and hermetically sealed to a vacuum valve housing having an sealable access port and containing a vented bleed valve and a block valve, fluidly connected to the sample line and a length of vacuum jacketed tubing sealing connected to the valve housing and in vacuum communication therewith, where the vacuum jacketed tubing surrounds the sample line to provide thermal isolation from the ambient for the sample line to a sample vaporizer.

We claim: 
     
       1. A vacuum jacketed probe adapter for connecting to a cryogenic liquid pipeline probe including a sample take-off line, a cryogenic valve and a vacuum port connection, said adapter comprising:
 a) a flange member of a select length and first cross-section dimension adapted to overlie and enclose the cryogenic liquid pipeline probe and hermetically seal the cryogenic liquid pipeline probe from an ambient environment; 
 b) a first length of hollow vacuum tubing with a first end and a second end, having a cross-sectional dimension corresponding to that of the flange member to be hermetically sealable thereto at said first end and projecting from said flange member hermetically sealable to the flange; 
 c) a valve housing defining a chamber and at least a first, second and third entry ports spaced from the cryogenic liquid pipeline probe, said valve housing being hermetically sealed to the second end of the first length of hollow vacuum tubing at said first entry port, said second entry port having a sealable door for access to the interior of the valve housing, said valve housing enclosing a first cryogenic venting bleed valve and a second cryogenic blocking valve, said cryogenic bleed and blocking valves being accessible through said second entry port; 
 d) a sample take-off line for transmitting a cryogenic liquid sample from the cryogenic liquid pipeline probe, extending centrally through the first length of hollow vacuum tubing, said take-off line connectable to the cryogenic liquid pipeline probe and projecting into said valve housing, said sample take-off line being connected to said first cryogenic venting bleed valve and then exiting the valve housing from said a second cryogenic blocking valve through said third entry port; 
 e) a second length of hollow vacuum tubing with a first end and a second end, hermetically connected to said third entry port at said first end of said second length of hollow vacuum tubing, said sample take-off line being disposed within and extending centrally through said second length of hollow vacuum tubing; and 
 f) a connector in said take-off line formed proximate to the second end of said second length of hollow vacuum tubing to feed the content of the take-off sample into a vaporizer cabinet. 
 
     
     
       2. The vacuum jacketed probe adapter of  claim 1  where the flange member and the first length of hollow vacuum tubing are cylindrical. 
     
     
       3. The vacuum jacketed probe adapter of  claim 2  where the valve housing is T-shaped with a horizontally projecting leg where the leg includes the second entry port. 
     
     
       4. The vacuum jacketed probe adapter of  claim 3  where the second entry port includes a removable access door. 
     
     
       5. The vacuum jacketed probe adapter of  claim 4  where third entry port is disposed oppositely of the second entry port and the sample line elbows above the cryogenic blocking valve to exit the valve housing chamber through the third entry port. 
     
     
       6. The vacuum jacketed probe adapter of  claim 3  where the valve housing includes a vacuum port. 
     
     
       7. The vacuum jacketed probe adapter of  claim 6  where the first length of hollow vacuum tubing, the valve housing chamber and the second length of hollow vacuum tubing are evacuable by the vacuum port.